Process of mercerizing.



No. 824,255. PATENTED JUNE 26, 1906. W. MATH BR, J. HUBNBR & W. J. POPE.

PROCESS OF MERGBRIZING.

APPLICATION FILED HA3. 8, 1905.

. 1. s L 0000000 ocoovoooo O0 co ooooooo 00060000 0 0 o. o o o o 003 o o o o o o 0o 1. 00 0000000 000 0000 WILLIAM MATHER, JULIUS HUBNER,-AND WILLIAM JACKSON POPE, QF

- MANCHESTER-ENGLAND; a

. PROCESS OF msncsnizmje.

hl'o. 824,255.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March s, 1905. semi Rt 249,053.

To all whom it may concern.- 7 Be it known that we, WILLIAM Mama, JULIUS HUBNER, and WILLIAM JACKSON Porn, subjects of His Majesty the King of Great Britain, and residents of Manchester,

England, have invented a new and useful Improved Process of Mercerizing Fabrics and Material, of which the following is a speclfication.

The invention relates more particularly to the mercerization of fabrics and materials such as fine muslin, lace, yarns, and the like, as well as unspun cotton, which it has been difficultto treat by the methods hitherto em- 1 5 ployed, since, owing to their loose and delicate structure, they are unable to withstand tension applied directly to them.

The object of the resent invention is 'to prevent the materia ori: fabric contracting under the influence of the caustic with which it is treated, and this object is attained by subjecting the material or fabric to a preliminary treatment which includes the compression of the fabric or material between pervioussurfaces which by their pressure produce -and augment surface friction, sov as to revent or minimize the contraction of the fi ers especially while the, mercerizing liquid is acting. This preliminary treatment, which may 0 be carried outeither in a continuous or noncontinuous manner, as desired, consists in steaming the fabric 1 or material, saturating it with water or a weak solution of caustic,

and at the same time subjecting it to pressure 5 between ervious surfaces, one or more of which is exible, such treatment having for its object the elimination of the air contained in the material, thus facilitating the subsequent mercerizing process and rendering it 0 more effective an uniform. In cases where the mercerizing is carried out in a single machine in successive stages such preliminary treatment is repeated between the successive stages of mercerizing, and finally the materialiswashed.

In the accompanying drawing is shown a machine by which the im roved process of mercerizing is convenient y carried into. effect by a non-continuous process,

In the drawing, 1 is a closed vesselhaving a hinged lid 2, by which access is obtained to the interior of the vessel. Central of the vessel 1 is a hollow perforated core 3, the inteand broken lines.

rior of which communicates by a pipe with any suitable suction means. Any suita arrangement ofsteam, air, and water supply I-atented Ju e-a6; 190a.

pipes and control devlces and pipes and con- 1 trol devices for the delivery of t e mercerizing and other liquids are also connected with the" suction-pipe 4 and delivery-pipe 5, which lattfir o ens Into the interior of the vessel 1, so t at desire quid, air, or vapor may be admitte The material to be treated is wound tightly I about the perforated core 3 simultaneously w th a sheet 6 of flexiblepervious materla such as fine wire gauze, so that the maten dylimaking the properydonnection any under treatment alternates with a layer of the perv ous material and is compressed between the layers of the latter, the alternat-- ing layers being shown inthe figure by whole hollow core 3 or vice versa, the former course being preferable. After this relimin treatment the usual mercerizing l iquid'is a mittedand caused to circulate throu h the material, when the surface friction an pres- The compound roll thus sure of the pervious layers and the jacket will hinder the tendency to contract produced by the mercerizing li uid, and thereby an automatic tension will e set up in the cotton; At

the end of the mercerizing process water may be passed through in a similar manner to wash the cotton, and also, if reallhired, dyeing, bleaching, and other liquors, w e to dry the cotton after such treatment dry air may be forced through. To facilitate, however, the expulsion of the li uids, the core 3 may, as shown, he mounte on a shaft 8, having a foot-step at 9 and rovided with a driving:v

pulley 10, so that t e core and the material wound thereon may be rotated to drive out radially by the centrifugal action thus setjup the various liquids used;

What we claim is p v1. The herem-descrlbed process of mercerizing which consists in first steaming and wetting the material while under constrictive wee pressure between pervielis but inextensible to ass theretugh and vthle rell finally andnon-ebsorbent surfaces end subse uentl cansingthe mercerizing liqunl to pass t pug it while still held between such surfaces,

5 finally washing out the merc erizmg liquld.

izing which consists-in rollm be treatedtogether with an a ternatm%)leyer cipervibus but inextensible and non-a. sorbhro 'ent material to form a. roll, which is first supjected to a. steaming and wetting process af ter which \the mercerizingliquors are caused,

'- 2. The herem-described process of mercenthe materxel-to was ed.

In.- testimony and setour hands in the presence of'two subscribin'g witnesses. I W. MATHER.

JULIUS HUBNER. WILLIAM JACKSON PQPE.

v Witnesses:

ALFD. WILLETT, GEO. P. SIMPsQN.

. whereof we hate herennto-15 

